There’s still plenty of time for the Easter bunny to hop around to some local spots– here are some of our favorite ideas for your basket!

One of the things that I really enjoy as a parent is finding the perfect gift for all occasions: whether it's a gift-giving mainstay like Christmas and birthdays, or one of the lesser holidays around which you can build out a gift (you mean you haven't heard of giving your toddler a Valentine's gift? It's a thing, I promise!). I've had my eye on several things for my daughter's Easter basket since, oh, probably last June, but if your family observes Easter and you don't take pleasure in sourcing and shopping for basket fillers the way I do, don't worry - it's not too late to build the perfect locally-sourced Easter basket! Better yet, I've done all the work for you - all you have to do is place a few orders and possibly go pick them up - presto!

The first thing you're going to need is the basket itself. My family tends to reuse the same baskets year after year, but I know other families like to break out a new basket each time the holiday rolls around. If that's you, or if you are perhaps shopping for baby's first Easter and need a basket that will last for many springs ahead, Pink Antlers at Park Place in Leawood is going to be the place to start! You can find the perfect basket to suit any mood and any style, both in store and online - from a classic picnic basket to a cute woven basket with bunny ears to these fun jelly baskets that frankly just sing to the 80s kid in me! No matter which you choose, your baby or kiddo is sure to be delighted.

The next thing you'll need to take care of is finding the bunny or another plush friend to build your basket around. For this, I headed to Lauren Alexandra in Brookside, one of my favorite kid-specific shops in the metro. With tasteful, charming brands like Maileg and Jellycat in stock, you're sure to find a rabbit or other stuffy that your mini will love this season and beyond!

From here, you're really just looking to fill in the rest of your basket. I like to focus on a theme for my baskets and build my fillers around that (ideas that I like and have used or have seen other families use include arts and crafts, which I'm going with this year, spring/Easter Bunny generally, and a summer basket, with swimsuits and sunglasses and the like to get ready for the warm weather ahead). You will find plenty of fun supplies and whimsical trinkets to speak to any of these at both Pink Antlers and Lauren Alexandra. From this Meri Meri sticker book and wooden flower bed to a teether in the style of a flower pot or carrot-shaped rattle for your smallest little Easter bunnies, you may find yourself needing a bigger basket!

As I said, my theme for the 2021 Easter basket is going to be arts and crafts, or, more broadly - indoor fun. Since Easter is a little bit early this year and the weather is still kind of iffy, my goal is to include items that will provide hours of entertainment if we aren't able to spend a lot of time outside for a few weeks more. My quest for these types of items led me to two awesome mom-run businesses here in Kansas City that you can order from directly: KC Lemon Squeezy and Crayon Letters KC.

KC Lemon Squeezy sells a variety of themed sensory kits shipped straight to your door. They have several options for Easter-themed sensory items, from surprise sensory dough containers (each container has a hidden surprise inside) to dough eggs. They also have a variety of other themed kits as well (think things like "princess," "unicorn," "Paw Patrol," or "race cars") if that's more your kids' thing. I ordered my daughter the sensory surprise containers and she LOVED finding the hidden treasures.

For the little artist in your life, Crayon Letters KC has adorable egg and bunny shaped chalk and crayons. They made their name by creating sets with all the letters to spell out a child's name in chalk or crayon, but in addition to the holiday options, also have all kinds of other creative shapes as well. The Easter shipping deadline was March 1, but you can still order and get your goodies via local pick-up!

Last but not least, don't worry - I didn't forget the chocolate! No Easter morning is complete without the promise of something sweet hidden in an egg or tucked deep in the Easter basket! For kids (or really just the kid in all of us), I am partial to the sweet chocolate rabbits and other goodies at Andre's and Annedore's. If your basket is for an adult, or a child with a more sophisticated palate, I'd 100% try their spring mix of malted milk balls, or these delightful eggs from Christopher Elbow. With flavors like Salted Vanilla, Toasted Coconut, and Popping Almond Praline, these would definitely be a treat for the most discerning chocolate-lover out there! As a bonus, Christopher Elbow is also hosting a "golden egg hunt" through April 30, with the finders of 12 golden eggs hidden in packages around the metro winning $100 gift cards back to the shop. My Easter wish for each of you is that the odds may be ever in your favor!

Have a great idea for an Easter basket that I missed? Let me know on Instagram @marisainthemidwest!

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Neighborhood Guide: Crestwood

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Just on the edge of the Trolley Trail sits one of the most delightful blocks in all of KC– small but packed with unique, locally-owned spots to explore!